Fire Emblem Awakening: Path Changer - Defiance
by AzureStoryTeller
Summary: Robin, a man with skills in magic, swordplay, and tactics, awakes to find himself in a strange place with no memories. Thrown into a conflict without pause, he must fight to protect his new home and new friends, as he attempts to uncover his past and battle fate for the sake of others and his own history as war encroaches his new life. Male Robin story. Reboot of the original story
1. Chapter 1

_**Alright, so I announced a while ago that I was going to reboot "Path Changer" and as I promised, here's the Reboot's first chapter. I'd decided that I'd grown since the last time I'd updated the story and there were some things that I wanted to change up. The best way for me to accomplish that was to completely rewrite the story. However, I was focusing on my Highschool DxD stories since they had ideas that I'd wanted to try. Also, there were errors that I made in the first story, so to just wipe the slate clean, I restarted. I learned from some of my mistakes, so things should be better this time, lol.**_

 _ **Now, I did get a question for this story from the Q &A that I started. However, I put it right at the bottom of the page as an A/N because of how long it was. Lol. I know, I'm sorry. I just tend to rant on topics like these. **_

_**I'm also suggesting music to listen to when reading my stories. I do this with my Highschool DxD stories to enhance the mood. I'm thinking of making that a thing for my stories since I always get pumped up when I listen to music when writing my stories. Also, I leave it up to you to sync the music with your reading pace since everyone reads at different speeds.**_

 _ **As for how Robin looks, it's his default canon appearance.**_

 _ **Anyways, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of the reboot and I hope it beats the first chapter of the original.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Enigma**

' _Where am I?_ '

A pitch-black void was all that could be seen by the man of this tale, Robin. He could not see a single speck or outline. He felt nothing, for he had no body. His mind was the only thing that moved. The only thing he was aware of, was that he was in darkness. Until…

"Hey, do you think he's okay?"

"No idea. Aren't you the healer here?"

Those voices sounded muffled. The first was slightly high-pitched and feminine. The second was masculine, and deep. Was someone speaking into his mind or dreams? Or was someone speaking from reality.

Slowly, Robin felt his physical being. He could feel his fingers, his toes, his back, and soon, his head. He could feel physical contact from his skin. It confused him. Was he simply asleep? Or was he materializing? It was odd. He had so many questions within his subconscious that it was messing with him.

Slowly opening his eyes, the light of the sun began piercing his vision. At first, all that appeared before him was blurry. Two particular blurs stood out to him. Then, his sight focused. Standing over him was a young man and teenaged girl. One was muscular and fit, with an armored pauldrons over one arm with a sleeveless vest and modest pants and boots. However, what was most striking about him was his blue hair and eyes. It was like looking at water except they had human form.

The other was a girl with curly blonde hair tied into two pigtails and green eyes. In Robin's opinion, she looked kind of cute and she seemed to radiate positivity and care. She wore a yellow dress with a corset on her torso. She seemed to be a bit more glamorous than the man opposite of her but she still looked modest.

( **Doctor Who Specials OST: Gallifrey. Play Song**.)

Who were these people?

"Hey, are you okay? You don't look too good." The girl asked.

"This isn't a nice place to sleep, y'know. Here, let me help you up."

The man with blue hair stretched out his hand. Robin took it hesitantly. For some reason, his body felt like it was tingling with a sore burn, as if he were run over by something. Hoisted to his feet, Robin nearly fell over as he caught himself.

"Whoa now." The girl caught him.

"Thank you."

Robin rubbed his temples, feeling a painful pulse in his head.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"I…" Robin trailed off.

Now that he thought about it…why was he drawing blanks? This was a common question, but for some reason, his brain wasn't computing.

"I kind of don't…"

"Don't tell me you don't remember?" The girl looked worried, gasping.

"It's kind of hard."

"Don't fret too hard. Take your time." The blue-haired calmly told him.

Taking several moments, asking his own mind as to what his name was, Robin felt an epiphany strike his mind, sadly, it was the only one.

"My name's Robin!" Robin gasped.

"Can you tell us anything else about yourself?" The girl asked.

Again, his mind was blank, this time, he didn't feel a single lead in his mind.

"No, I'm sorry."

Slowly, Robin walked over to a small creek that was nearby. Looking at the clear water, he lookd at himself. He had white hair, a youthful face, and grey eyes. His clothes were rather odd, since he wore a tan shirt and pants with black boots, and a dark hooded coat. What really stood out was the fact that it had some kind of symbol on his back. A total of six eyes arranged and connected by a crescent line. Not to mention, he had a purple mark like that on the back of his right hand.

"Ah, that's alright. My name's Lissa. That guy over there is my older brother, Chrom."

"It's nice to meet you, Robin." Chrom extended his hand.

"It's nice to meet you too. If you can pardon me, where am I?" Robin looked around.

All around him, was greenery. Lush emerald plains and distant forests blanketed the ground and shimmering lakes and rivers sparkled distantly.

"You don't remember where you are?" Lissa looked worried this time.

Chrom looked skeptical, but at the same time, he had a hint of concern in his eyes.

"This is the halidom of Ylisse." Chrom started.

( **Doctor Who Specials OST: Gallifrey. End Song.** )

"Milord!" Another voice echoed over.

Walking towards them, was a tall man with brown hair in aqua-blue armor. Honestly, Robin found it odd that he could walk in such cantankerous attire, but he didn't show a single hint of discomfort.

"Frederick." Chrom nodded at him in greeting.

"Milord, if I may humbly remind you again, do take care not to rush off too far ahead alone. What would happen if some assailant were to attack you with your guard down?"

Frederick then froze as he laid eyes upon Robin. The amnesiac immediately felt wariness being volleyed at him.

"Robin, this is Frederick, one of my most loyal friends." Chrom gestured towards the knight.

"This is Robin, an amnesiac that we just met." Lissa pointed out.

"Are we to simply believe that he is an amnesiac simply because he acts and says so?" The knight raised a brow.

Robin should've felt insulted, but at the same time, he kind of understood the skepticism. Aside from lacking memories, he did have common sense and academic knowledge. At least, he hoped it was correct academic knowledge.

Not only that, but Frederick sounded more logical rather than hostile. The zeal in his eyes was overflowing with stoicism.

"Now, that's just rude, Frederick. You shouldn't accuse someone of something if you've only just met them." Lissa put her hands on her hips.

"Well, we can't just let someone stay unconscious by the side of the road, can we? It wouldn't be right to just ignore them and be on our way." Chrom folded his arms.

"Milord, good men do exist, but so do evil men. They can smile with the brightest expression and hide the darkest of intentions." Frederick retorted.

"Geez, paranoid much?" Lissa muttered.

"I merely worry for your safeties, Milord and Milady." Frederick sighed.

"Appreciated, but ease up. We don't want to rub everyone the wrong way. Not everyone is out to kill you." Lissa nodded.

"And we know that because?" Frederick snarked.

"Because we can also defend ourselves." Chrom shut down the argument.

He put a hand on the sword strapped to his belt. It was quite odd in that it had a tear-shaped hole where the handguard would be.

"Now, let's get going. Town is a ways away and I'm starving." Lissa turned around and pointed into the forest.

"Yes, let's not delay further." Chrom nodded.

"I'm sorry, but just who are you all?" Robin asked.

He didn't want to come off as rude, but he really needed to know what he could.

"You do not recognize them?" Frederick sternly asked.

Robin wondered if he was going to unleash the spear strapped to his back if he answered wrong.

"Sadly, I do not." Robin shook his head.

"I believe that to be a pile of pegusii dung." Frederick narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, enough, Frederick. Let's get to town before it gets too dark." Chrom shut down Frederick's intimidations once more.

"Wait, I'm to just follow you?" Robin looked at them skeptically.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt you. It just won't do if we were to spend our time talking out here in the wilderness like this. I believe a tavern is far more suitable for talk." Chrom gave him a reassuring grin.

Robin didn't exactly feel safe around these people. He didn't know them and he didn't even know who he was. How in this world was he supposed to trust them?

* * *

Walking into the forest, the group made their way through until they reached a small town. Entering a tavern, the four sat down and began the awaited conversation.

"So, am I going to be held prisoner?" Robin looked at everyone wearily.

"As long as you don't try to hurt anybody, then no." Chrom laughed.

"Which we have yet to evaluate." Frederick crossed his arms.

"Forgive him. He's a good man but he's overly cautious and wary." Chrom pointed his thumb at the knight.

"Well, one of us needs to have common sense. Forgive me, Sir Robin. Were you someone we were aware of, then I'd needn't be so distrustful, but I cannot do that unless I see genuine proof that you mean no harm." Frederick sighed.

"It's fine." Robin nodded in understanding.

"Still, it's good that we found you rather than brigands. You'd have your throat slit and your belongings stolen if that'd happened." Lissa cheerfully spoke.

Her face then paled.

"Well that was grim…" Lissa sheepishly chuckled.

"It's fine." Robin awkwardly nodded.

"So, tell me what you can." Chrom sipped his mug.

"I can't really say much. I don't remember anything besides my name." Robin shrugged.

Frederick was tempted to say something, but held his tongue. He'd done enough attacking for one day.

"Well then, ask questions." Chrom laughed.

"Tell me about Ylisse, please."

"You appear here and now you wish to know about this location as if you magically appeared?" Frederick huffed.

"Alright, stop intimidating. Nothing's happening." Lissa rolled her eyes.

"Tis merely my duty, Milady." Frederick bowed his head.

"Ignoring the duo, Ylisse is a halidom ruled by the Exalt, Emmeryn. It's much like any other kingdom that you'd come across. It's surrounded by the neighboring nation of Plegia, which- "

Before Chrom could finish speaking, a loud boom wracked the town.

( **Final Fantasy XV OST: Veiled in Black. Play Song.** )

"What was that?!" Lissa jumped out of her seat.

Rushing outside, everyone was surprised to see that a significant number of bandits were torching homes and grabbing the nearest objects in their line of sight.

"Bandit raid." Robin concluded.

"Find somewhere to hide, we'll pick things up later." Chrom turned to him before drawing his sword.

"Are we really going to just leave him on his own?" Lissa asked.

"Well, unless you can train him to fight within the next five seconds, I really don't think we should make him stand in front of a blade." Chrom shook his head.

Frederick didn't say a word. He'd already gone into combat mode. Hefting the spear in his hands, he and Chrom rushed toward the group of bandits and began laying waste to them. Robin was quite surprised. Despite how normal they acted, their level of skill was way above his expectations.

Chrom was besieged by three bandits, all armed with axes and swords. One lunged at him from the left side. Sidestepping, Chrom knocked the axe from his hand and slashed him across the chest before parrying a strike from behind. With a quick whirl of his sword, Chrom drew a bloody line across his chest, delivering a wound that sent that second bandit to the ground. The third jumped at him from behind but Chrom was fast enough to jump into the air. Reaching a higher altitude, Chrom dodged the attack before spinning downwards like a wheel. The bandit had little time to react before he was cut down with a mighty crash of Chrom's sword.

Frederick boasted just as much might, despite his lack of speed in comparison. With a masterful spin of his spear, he knocked away swords and axes that were lunging at him. Using minimal movement, he maintained his distance, guard, and his chances at attacking. In one quick burst of speed, he impaled on assailant through the stomach. Without batting an eye, he turned around and smashed the bottom of his spear into the ribs of another bandit before skewering a third that attacked from behind.

As Robin watched, he was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard a scream.

"Come on! Rip em off!"

"No! Get away from me!"

That immediately caught his attention. It was coming from an alley. For some reason, Robin felt a powerful urge. His pulse was speeding up and his mind was forcing him to take action. He looked at the ground and immediately saw a sword. He didn't have time to think. He had to act now or he'd risk letting something horrible happen.

Grabbing it, he sprinted towards the source of the sound. Thankfully, when he arrived, the bandit was grabbing at a young woman's dress, attempting to tear off her corset.

"Stop it, please!" She begged.

It was now or never. Caught within the rapid pace of the moment, Robin ran forward. With one ragged move, Robin impaled the bandit through the chest. The young woman gasped as she saw the sword point sticking out of her assaulter's chest. He dropped to the floor, revealing Robin.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes, I am. Thank you."

"You should go and hide somewhere far from here. The bandits are all close to the entrance, so get to the corners of the town." Robin instructed her.

He had no idea where this was all coming from, but he didn't question anything. He just wanted this person to be safe.

"Thank you." The young woman then ran off.

Robin stood up, intending to get back to the entrance to the gates, but something caught his eye. Next to him, was a ruined shop that was selling books. What lied at his feet was none other than a yellow book with a lightning bolt across it.

"A tome?" Robin raised a brow.

What was a tome doing here?

"Wait a minute…I think I know how to use this." He muttered to himself.

"Magic…"

Although it was a small moment, he felt a piece of the puzzle in his head move. Just then, another crash echoed to where Chrom and the others were. Rushing back, he found that the bandits were still going strong. Coincidentally, one of them had a tome as well. It was red, with a wisp of flame decorated on it.

Chrom and Frederick were standing behind buildings, waiting for an opening. Lissa stayed farther back, tending to the wounded with what looked like a magical staff.

"Robin?" Lissa at him as he ran over.

"What's happened?" He asked.

"We were winning until one of the bandits showed up with a magic tome and started throwing fire everywhere. We couldn't get close cus we just got done with getting the wounded over here to safety." Lissa summarized before she turned around from bandaging someone.

"Then let's even the odds." Robin took out the tome he'd found.

"You can use magic?" She looked at him with some surprise.

"I…think I do?" Robin scratched his head, the annoying fuzz within annoying him again.

"What're you doing, Robin?" Chrom walked over.

"Okay, first things first. I think I've got a plan." Robin stopped that question before anything else. He then showed his Thunder Tome.

"Do people just have tomes laying around?" He asked.

"Many towns obtain the books and often, they don't understand their significance." Frederick explained.

"Well, I think I know how to use it." Robin spoke.

"And what is it that you plan to do?"

"Since you can't get close to them, I'll give them a shock and get you the chance to finish them off." Robin explained.

Chrom and Frederick looked at each other, as if communicating through mere expression alone.

"Alright, give us your plan." Chrom relented.

He didn't sound too ecstatic, but this was better than nothing. He was curious as to what Robin had come up with.

"Those bandits don't seem too organized and trained. They swing randomly and most of them barely listen to what the other says. To add to that, they don't seem very aware of others. So, I'll just blast the one with the tome and in that time, you two attack from both sides. We'll pincer them. It's 3-to-1, but I think we'll be fine." Robin decided.

"That's really simple." Lissa deadpanned.

"It does save us our strength, though." Robin agreed with how simple it was.

"Nevertheless, it's better to get through it in one piece, rather than just charge and hope we dodge everything." Chrom shrugged.

Without further ado, everyone began the plan. Robin held his sword and rushed forward. Opening the Thunder Tome, he opened his hand and held it forward.

' _Here goes nothing_.' Robin sighed.

"Thunder!"

With that one word, a yellow magical circle lit up from a page of the Tome. Simultaneously upon invocation, a yellow orb of electricity cracked into existence in Robin's palm.

With a mental command, the sphere of electricity flew right at the bandit holding the fire tome.

"Fire!"

Piercing right through the cloud of fire, the bolt of thunder magic barreled right at the bandit. Wracked with tendrils of electricity, he shook violently as he dropped to the ground, incapacitated by the magic.

With their only cover disposed of, the rest of the bandits were prey for Chrom and Frederick. The two lunged out from behind two buildings on both sides of the bandit group, brandishing their weapons. With quick and furious slashes and stabs, they made short work of the bandits, though they retained untmost caution.

However, Robin noticed loud footsteps getting louder. He looked at both sides to his left and right and found that two bandits were gunning right for him.

"Not good." Robin muttered.

Invoking his Thunder Tome, he threw his sword into the air, turning around to blast one bandit with a Thunder spell before catching his sword and parrying a strike from the remaining assailant.

Dodging one slash of the bandits sword, Robin stepped back again, missing another before parrying a third attack and cleaving into the last attacker.

( **Final Fantasy XV OST: Veiled in Black. End Song.** )

Soon enough, the bandits were finished off, leaving only the cleanup to be dealt with. Looking around, Robin was quite…affected by what he saw. He didn't have as much time to think before since everything was happening within the heat of the moment.

He looked at his hands and saw that there was some blood dried on it. He gulped. Odd. He'd just killed people and yet, no shaking. Why did he feel this calm? Killing wasn't something that should be taken lightly or brushed aside. So, why did he feel this level of calmness? Certainly, he didn't feel happy or satisfied. He felt troubled, but he'd expected himself to react much more severely. He'd thought he'd be shaking and crying, but despite all that, he was merely bitter and unsettled with himself. Was it because he was amnesiac? It made him wonder, just what sort of person was he before?

"Robin…Robin?"

He snapped up and found Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick standing in front of him.

"Are you alright?" Chrom asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Robin nodded.

"I see that you're capable enough with magic and a sword…do explain." Frederick asked.

"I don't know…gut instinct and muscle memory, I guess? I just grabbed them and I just knew what to do, a little." Robin scratched his head.

His head just wouldn't stop throbbing when he mentally beat his brain to function properly.

"That was pretty cool! We have mages and knights, but I've never seen someone dual-wield both, before." Lissa walked over.

"A rare sight, yes." Frederick nodded.

"Well, the damage here wasn't too severe. We managed to stop it before it could get out of hand. Not only that, but the bandits weren't very good at being bandits, so our work was light this time." Chrom sheathed his sword after wiping it with a cloth.

"Milord, I do believe that they were Plegian." Frederick followed up.

"Yeah, I had a feeling. They were dressed the same as some Plegians too." Chrom nodded.

"Plegians?" Robin looked at them inquisitively.

"Inhabitants from Plegia, Ylisse's neighboring country. Our lands have had a history of bad blood. These days, they find nearly any excuse to start conflict. It's rather sad, really." Chrom sighed with a wry smile.

"And they like to pick on the citizens the most because they can't fight back." Lissa grumbled.

"That's why we're here. Shepherds who attend the flock." Frederick answered.

"Months into this and I'm still not used to it." Lissa sighed.

"A part of me thinks that no one should be." Robin muttered.

"Excuse me, Milord, but we would be honored if you stayed the night." An elderly villager walked up to Chrom.

"We are simple folk, but we assure you, the food we make will be worth your while. We will toast to your victory for saving us. Those bandits have harassed us for days, but now, they may be over."

Chrom considered their offer for a moment before shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, but we must decline. This is pressing news and we must return to the Capital immediately." He gave an apologetic smile.

"While your offer is extremely generous, and greatly appreciated, this may jeopardize the entire halidom. We must report to the Exalt." Frederick added, giving a nod of respect.

"What?! But it's getting so dark and late!" Lissa cried out.

"Which means we'd better get a move on." Chrom dryly retorted.

"But what about food, bedding, bandits, and ghosts?" Lissa stammered with all her convincing powers.

"We'll hunt wildlife and fruits. We'll sleep with twigs and leaves. We'll keep watch and fight off any who come our way and ghosts are, well… not much we can do but pick a god and pray." Frederick sternly answered.

"I hadn't figured Frederick for someone to joke." Robin quipped.

"Sometimes his humor peeks through. Like when he grins like a madman when he starts a fire." Lissa sighed.

"Or when he's stabbing someone." Chrom added

"It is incredibly unbecoming and rude to speak of such things about someone when they are present." Frederick narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, we know. It's just funny watching your brows furrow when we poke jokes at you." Lissa grinned.

"I swear, you two are the reason why I'm so grim." Frederick muttered.

"Come on, let's get going." Chrom sighed.

* * *

As night fell, it was time to find a campsite within the darkening forest that they were in.

"I should've stayed home." Lissa groaned.

"Oh, come now, Lissa, you insisted on this. Besides, this'll make you tougher like you said it would." Chrom retorted.

"I at least expected reason to come with us."

"Well, reason had other plans because time said no. Besides, we're not very far from the Ylisstol anyways. As soon as we wake up tomorrow morning, we'll simply walk for a few short hours and we'll be right at the doors of home." Chrom sighed.

"Now that we've cleared a campsite, we'd best gather wood and food." Frederick interjected.

"Right, I'll deal with hunting." Chrom volunteered.

"Then I shall gather wood." Frederick concluded.

"I'll help too." Robin raised a hand.

"Excellent, surely we'll have enough wood to feed the fire in the morning as well." Frederick nodded.

"I'll stay here. I'm done for the day." Lissa shook her head.

"Suit yourself." Chrom chuckled.

About an hour later.

"I'm starving!" Lissa groaned.

After Robin and Frederick had returned from gathering firewood, they all silently waited for Chrom to come back from hunting. Sadly, their stomachs were running out of patience.

"I'll admit, Milord does take his time with hunting. Especially the walk back." Frederick noted.

His face then paled.

"You don't suppose- "

"No, don't worry, Frederick. Chrom can deal with anyone who's stupid enough to attack him. He's the one who keeps breaking the walls at home, remember?" Lissa cut him off before he could start worrying.

"I only did it twice!" A deep voice came from the behind some bushes.

"Ah, dinner's…here…" Lissa's initial enthusiasm faded as she laid eyes upon what was on Chrom's back.

A dead bear.

"Milord…was that all?" Frederick asked.

"Yes. A lone bear was all I could hunt because there were no deer for quite a distance. Now, let's get to cooking." Chrom smirked.

After cleaning and preparing the bear's flesh over a fire, everyone began to eat. Almost everyone, anyways.

"Ah, it's been so long since I've relished the taste of bear." Chrom happily bit into his chunk of roasted bear meat.

"Robin, don't tell me you…" Lissa turned to the amnesiac.

Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. That was all that was happening next to her. Robin barely registered her words as he hungrily wolfed down his portion of food.

"Well, can't blame you, since you probably haven't eaten for days." Lissa groaned in defeat.

"Trust me, Lissa, you'll wish you'd eaten later." Chrom advised his sister.

Lissa glared at the chunk of bear meat in front of her as if it kicked her in the face. Reluctantly, she slowly brought the roasted flesh to her mouth. With one bite, Lissa tore off a small piece.

"Grgh…" She wretched.

"Go on, swallow it." Chrom chuckled.

With several chews, Lissa finished that one bite.

"Blegh! It's so foul after the first four chews…" She whined.

"At least your stomach won't protest." Chrom shrugged.

"Aren't you going to eat, Frederick?" Lissa turned to the present knight.

"I've had my fill earlier today. My lunch was quite satisfying." Frederick cleared his throat.

"If you say so…" Lissa looked at him with suspicion.

* * *

Later that night, Robin, who'd been asleep upon his bed of leaves with a small blanket over him, felt something odd. A small shake of the earth. Opening his eyes with some reluctance, he sat up. He looked up and found that the sky was…purple. Slowly, some orange was creeping across and the smell of smoke reached his nose.

( **Gundam 00 OST: Masurao. Play Song.** )

"Robin?" Lissa stirred.

Looking up, she rubbed her eyes before the smell of smoke reached her too.

"Something's wrong." Robin answered.

Chrom, who awoke from their rustlings stood up.

True to those words, the trembling of the earth intensified. Beneath them, the ground began to tear, slowly shifting places.

"Quick, over here!" Frederick, who was also awake, led everyone away from the campsite.

As they all ran, the earth continued to move, rising higher or sinking to unleash the magma from below the planet's crust. Weaving left and right and circling around shifting stone, the band of four continued without pause.

"What's going on?" Lissa panted.

"Don't know. Whatever it is, it's a first for me." Chrom answered.

"What's that over there?" Robin pointed ahead.

Materializing in the air was a white magical circle. Sprouting to life, was a blue circle that looked like a floating lake.

"What in the name of the gods is happening?" Frederick wondered.

Slowly, something new emerged. Several things were emerging from the circle in the sky. Humanoids with black flesh were dropping from the air, landing unceremoniously on the ground, as if mere ragdolls. Standing to life, these creatures had glowing red eyes with gaping mouths and inhuman faces.

"What are those things? Does this happen a lot here?" Robin looked to the group.

"Not at all. Whatever this is, it's not natural." Chrom shook his head.

"Be on your guard, they're carrying weapons." Frederick shushed everyone.

He was right. These dark creatures were all hefting weapons and were holding onto them quite faithfully. They leered around, as if scanning for anything of interest. Before long, they noticed the party and began to walk toward them. Soon enough, they increased their pace, before breaking into limping runs.

"They don't look like they're here for help. Get ready." Robin stood on his guard, drawing his sword.

"Thunder!" He fired a small sphere of electricity at one monster.

The moment it touched, the creature shuddered violently as it began to disintegrate, turning into purple mist that dispersed into thin air. Not a single trace of the monster remained, not a corpse, not a sound, or even an echo.

Chrom charged, parrying the axe of one monster while Frederick kept another from axing him from behind. With a powerful thrust of his spear, he skewered his foe, kicking them away. Lissa kept her distance, her staff held ready to heal anyone.

Robin ducked a sword from one monster before knocking it out of its hand with a heavy slam of his blade. With another decisive blow, he decapitated the monster, dropping it to its knees. He was forced onto his guard, however, as one monster came barreling at him. With a block, he managed to stop the creature from splitting his skull open, but he was now struggling to keep the weapon away from the dome of his skull. The force and weight of the attack was so heavy, that Robin knew he'd die if he kept pushing back.

With an open palm, he channeled his Thunder Tome and blasted the enigmatic monstrosity back.

"Ah!"

He turned around to see that Lissa was being cornered.

"No!" Robin cried out.

With a blast of Thunder, he brought down one of the monsters but there were too many closing in on her.

Lissa was unable to defend herself, her stuff unsuited for combat. Not only that, but there were four creatures blocking any escape.

"Lissa!"

"Milady!"

Chrom and Frederick came rushing. It was too late. No one was fast enough to help her. Suddenly, Robin's interest was taken when he saw that something else was coming out of the portal in the sky.

"Now what?" He muttered.

Dropping gracefully to the ground, someone dressed in blue attire was charging right at the creatures surrounding Lissa.

With a deadly whirl, they cleaved through several of the creatures before blocking a blow from the last one. Struggling to keep it back, this mysterious person gave a side-glance. Chrom saw the distress and put more effort into his movements. With one precise swing, he cut the creature across the chest before impaling it through the head before it could completely drop to the ground.

As this and the other creatures died, they disintegrated as well, leaving no trace of combat.

( **Gundam 00 OST: Masurao. End Song.** )

Looking around, there were no other signs of any more unknown creatures appearing, giving the group a moment to catch their breath.

"Who are you, if I may ask?" Chrom turned to the blue newcomer.

"You may call me Marth. Right now, you should focus on getting out of here. A lot worse things are coming, so you'd best be careful." He said.

Suddenly, another quake of the ground threw the party off their feet, with the orange glow of magma coloring the sky.

As soon as the shaking stopped and everyone looked up, the masked stranger had disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" Frederick looked around, trying to find any clues.

"Don't know, but he was right. We need to leave this forest, now." Robin concluded.

Seeing the state of the forest, it was best that not a single moment be wasted any longer. Together, the four sped off, rushing back to the Halidom of Ylisse. This emergence of new creatures that moved like machines was a pressing matter. If not dealt and discussed about, it could very well lead to something worse.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

 _ **Alright, so I got 2 questions from PRemington900:**_

 _ **From PRemington900:**_

 _ **Q1: For the remake of this story, will you be adding additional elements such as drama and maybe a little heartbreak for those who aren't involved with Robin but have feelings for him?**_

 _ **A1: Well, there will be drama, but there won't be heartbreak for those who aren't involved with him because I will make it so that they don't have feelings for Robin. However, it's still too early to say, though. I can be fickle with how I plan story events.**_

 _ **Q2: As a writer, what is your experience with negative criticism and what advice would you give in dealing with them for new aspiring fanfic writers?**_

 _ **A2: Well, I've faced a good amount of negative criticism since I started. Some of them made sense and I took them to heart but others were just people trying to troll me. I'd categorize my negative criticism into 3 points since, in detail, that's what it boils down to.**_ _ **Overall, it usually comes down to how I space out my plots or how some people dislike my characters.**_

 _ *** Behavior:**_

 _ **Often times, people complain about how wishy-washy or "emo" my MCs can be. However, the reason why I write them to be so negative or stagnant sometimes, is to show their more vulnerable side and to help balance them out if they're too powerful. If my characters can't be beaten in battle, then they need emotional or psychological issues to hit them where it hurts. It's also done to help reflect their beliefs and philosophies.**_

 _ *** Story Buildup:**_

 _ **This is the one thing that kind of irks me the most from reviewers. A lot of them tend to jump the gun. I use buildup for my stories and often, I take my time for when I want something major to happen. I leave hints laying around and then I try to connect them at a major time I want to develop certain relationships and I want to answer certain questions to set up a major part of the story. When I say I'll do something, it's going to happen, but it might not instantly happen now, it could happen later. However, I do make the mistake of forgetting events, so some reviews do make sense and I'm kind of thankful that they bring that to my attention. Don't wanna go around and consciously making those mistakes.**_

 _ *** Power Inconsistency:**_

 _ **This is something that I'm very guilty of. I will admit, I sometimes forget to doublecheck how powerful I make my characters and how I pace the fights they get into. Often-times, I get swept up in the heat of the moment and once I finish writing it, I forget to go back and improve and correct. So, I don't blame anyone when they point it out. That's my mistake.**_

 _ **Now, here's my advice:**_

 _ **My advice for aspiring writers on this site, is to always read what people say and rationalize it. Is what they're saying making sense? Is it true and does it actually apply to your story? Go back and see the point in the story they're talking about and compare what they say with what happened. If it's true, then take those words into mind and try to make sure that you don't do that again. Try and improve.**_

 _ **However, if what they say to you is total nonsense, then ignore the people who say that nonsense. For example, if someone just left a short and unexplained review/message saying: "Stupid", "Worthless", or "You should quit writing", then ignore them. They're just there to bring you down and to harass or bully you. Sometimes, they're just cowards who can't write or don't want to write and just take it out on you because you were willing to take that step and publish that story. Other times, they just exaggerate a flaw and bash on you because it doesn't reach the standard that they have. Sure, people who do speak harshly do have some points, but for those who are just commenting to bully and harass you, ignore them. Don't give them the satisfaction. I honestly have no more patience for those kinds of people because of an incident that happened with someone I knew on this site.**_

 _ **Regardless, don't forget to always rationalize. Don't get angry and defensive immediately, either. It just goes to show that you shouldn't write just yet either because you're not willing to listen to your own flaws and where you went wrong. Don't lie to yourself and don't laud yourself either. We all aren't perfect, so we've gotta accept what we did wrong and do better next time. Our stuff won't come out perfect, so don't expect it to be and don't try and compare your work with others, it'll just make you make mistakes.**_

 _ **It's a very hard thing to do, writing your own stories and putting them up for others to see and I applaud anyone who's strong enough to get their stories out there because it means you're willing to take criticism once you do get those stories out there. So, as an end to this, don't think to highly of your work, ignore the trolls and haters who are just out to make you feel bad only, and try and improve when someone does point out your mistakes, even if they're not nice about it. Oh, and take your time with your work. One lesson I learned is that if you rush, you tend to slip up and your story suffers for it.**_

 _ **With all that said, good luck to any new or aspiring writers who hope to publish a story on here. People can be cruel but not all of them are wrong. Some people give negative criticisms in order to genuinely help, so don't react negatively every time. Think about what they said and see if it makes sense. If it's a bunch of crap, then ignore it, but if there's sense in what is said, then think about it and try to improve.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to the Shepherds

_**Alright, second chapter. Honestly, I've been thinking that saying this story was a reboot was kind of a mistake. Things are different now, and I'd rather not rely on it being a remake of the old story. Kind of considering changing the story name since I've decided to change things so much.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Welcome to the Shepherds**

"Welcome to Ylisstol, Robin." Lissa twirled around to face him.

Robin was in awe. The capital of Ylisse was a wondrous city, with buildings and shops arranged neatly. In the distance, Robin could see the ground rising to form a mound far away, with a large castle resting majestically at the top.

He looked around and found vendors and citizens shopping, eating, drinking, dancing, and playing without a care in the world. It was wonderful to him. He couldn't help but smile at how peaceful everything looked. True, there were knights standing guard here and there, but there was nearly no sign of aggression through Robin's trek through the city.

"It fills me with gratitude for Naga for keeping our home safe." Frederick gave a sigh of relief.

"That forest is probably just ashes and rubble now." Lissa groaned sadly.

"Nevertheless, we should keep going." Chrom led the group through the crowd.

"Ah, there she is." Lissa pointed forward, turning to Robin.

"Who?" Robin looked around.

This gigantic crowd was making it rather difficult to see anything. When Robin got a good look at her, she certainly looked like a ruler. She had long blonde hair like Lissa's but it was straighter, curling into drills at the ends. Her split bangs showed that she had the same mark of Ylisse that Chrom had on his shoulder, looking like a faint scar or light tattoo.

"The Exalt, Emmeryn. She's the ruler of this country." Lissa explained.

"Isn't it too dangerous to just let her walk out in the open like this?" Robin asked.

"Of course, that would be unthinkable. Lady Emmeryn is a powerful symbol of peace and forgiveness. She has been a long advocate of mercy and generosity. Any citizen or warrior in Ylisse would guard her with their lives, and many wouldn't even consider the thought of harming her. She's loved that much." Frederick answered.

"Emmeryn's endured a lot, as the first child of the previous Exalt. We had a long conflict with Plegia recently, and she spent years trying to repair the damage inflicted by it. Even when stoned or abused, she didn't run nor did she raise a hand. She always forgave and encouraged others to do so." Chrom added.

"When our parents died, she took it upon herself to raise us. She's the best sister too since she always spoiled us." Lissa chuckled.

Robin instantly stopped.

"Something wrong?" Chrom turned around.

"Wait…sister…spoiled…raise…" Robin muttered to himself.

His stomach and jaw dropped.

"Forgive my insolence, Your Majesties!" Robin threw himself to one knee.

Lissa jumped with the speed in which he moved.

"Uh, please don't do that. I don't like it when that happens. You can just call us Chrom and Lissa like usual." Chrom sheepishly chuckled.

"There is no need to behave that way, Sir Robin. Milord and Milady have proven to be quite patient."

"That explains why Frederick can be so frantic." Robin mused.

"Sometimes, I worry for my health when Milord and Milady choose to be careless." Frederick nodded.

"C'mon, Emm's going back to the castle. Let's go introduce you." Lissa dragged Robin through the crowd.

"Wait, but shouldn't I have an audience requested?" Robin asked.

"It'll be fine. You're our newest friend! I know Emm would love to meet you!" Lissa giggled.

Robin was still hesitant, unsure of whether or not he was able to converse with royalty. Would they decapitate him if he said the wrong word? Was he going to be bound and jailed for his unknown alignment? Then again, Robin did feel rather calm about this.

* * *

The doors to the Royal Ylissean Palace were blue, with the mark of Ylisse upon it. It looked like a tear drop with a crescent underneath it, capturing the tear.

"Their Majesties have returned!" A guard at the door announced.

The doors opened, revealing a grand room with red carpets, marble halls, and gold-framed paintings. Hallways spanned to the left and right and forward, giving hints to the magnitude of the Ylissean Palace. Blue and gold banners hung from the ceilings as crystalline chandeliers sparkled above.

"Ah, welcome home, Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick." Emmeryn turned to the group.

"And I welcome you, as well, dear guest." Emmeryn smiled kindly at Robin.

"I am honored to be in your presence, Your Majesty." He bowed.

"This is our newest friend, Robin. He helped us deal with a bandit problem in one of the outskirt towns. They came from Plegia." Chrom explained.

"I see. It's my fault, I should've mobilized my knights."

A woman with short light blue hair and amber eyes spoke up. She wore lighter armor in comparison to the knights that stood guard around the Palace.

"No, it's not your fault, Phila. You had your knights stationed across the country and around the Palace. You're already doing excellent. Leave matters like these to the Shepherds." Chrom smiled kindly.

"And how are the borders now?" Emmeryn asked.

"Safe as usual, but I'm starting to think that we need to be even more cautious now. Plegia's getting more aggressive." Chrom folded his arms.

"It's thanks to Robin that we got the job done quickly." Lissa pointed a thumb at the amnesiac.

"Yes, quite so. He was dual-wielding magic and swordplay. One of the townsfolk even told me that he saved her from a horrific fate." Chrom nodded.

"Then, I am grateful for your efforts, Sir Robin." Emmeryn stepped closer.

"I do not wish to spoil the mood, but I must speak. Robin, here, has claimed that he has no memory. We cannot rule out that treachery is above him nor below him." Frederick interjected.

He saw how close Emmeryn was getting to Robin, making his wariness kick in.

"That was quite uncalled for, Frederick." Chrom turned to his lieutenant.

"I must apologize, however, my greatest duty is the safety of my lieges." Frederick answered without hesitance nor shame.

"Even so, Robin has been allowed within the boundaries of this Palace and not once, has he raised suspicion from others. Not only that, but I must ask, when did you all meet him?"

"Yesterday morning." Lissa answered.

"And not once, has he tried to harm you in your sleep?" Emmeryn continued.

"Actually, he was the first to notice trouble." Lissa followed up.

"And does he have your trust?" Emmeryn turned to each of the three Shepherds.

"Yep!" Lissa chuckled.

"Indeed." Chrom nodded.

"I must admit…some of it." Frederick sighed.

"Then that's good enough for me. Besides, we cannot truly know if someone is amnesiac or not. I say that we take a chance on the limb that he truly does not remember who he is. I think that we should help this man, rather than doubt his words and leave him in trouble. Just as we presume that he may be a spy, we cannot rule out the fact that he may truly be without his memories, also." Emmeryn decided.

"Thus, I have an offer." Chrom turned to Robin.

"Robin, would you like to join the Shepherds? We would gladly welcome someone with your skills." Chrom extended a hand.

Robin had to think about this. Then again, there wasn't much to think about. He had no memories and no idea what sort of life he had. The only thing he had right now was a random sword, a Thunder Tome, and the clothes on his back. He had nothing else. No memories, no life to return to, maybe not even a family. He had no clue as to what he should be doing.

He looked around and saw that there was, at the very least, great trust amongst these Ylisseans. They didn't seem to be terrible people. They could've just left him behind in that field or dropped him off at the town last night. Yet, they watched out for him and expressed faith in him when they barely knew him. How could he refuse them when they probably saved his life?

"If you'll have me, it would be my honor." Robin nodded, smiling.

"Then, welcome to your new home." Chrom smiled.

"Should you ever need anything, let any of us know. Also…" Emmeryn turned to Frederick.

"Thank you, Frederick. You're always looking out for us. No matter how it makes you look, you always protect us with utmost devotion and self-sacrifice. I just want you to know how much we appreciate you. I know that Chrom, Lissa, and I all feel that way."

"A lowly knight such as myself am unworthy of praise, Your Grace." Frederick bowed.

"Now, onto new matters. Emm, have you heard of new monsters appearing?" Chrom turned to his older sister.

"Yes, citizens have come flocking to Ylisstol in panic. We're actually about to convene in the Royal Council to talk about it." Emmeryn nodded.

"Then I'll join as well." Chrom walked to follow Emmeryn, who was starting to walk away.

"While they're doing that, let's get you settled in." Lissa turned to Robin.

She led him out of the main room and into a hallway.

"The Shepherds, what are they, exactly?" Robin asked.

"It's a special group made up of people recruited by Chrom. We mainly go around dealing with matters that the Royal Army can't. Mainly, it's dealing with trouble in the towns where the Army can't move fast enough to deal with. What we dealt with yesterday, is a main duty that the Shepherds undertake. We're not too large in members, but there's a good number of us."

"And where do we stay? In our own homes?"

Robin began to wonder if there was a place to buy.

"No, Chrom created a barrack here in the Royal Palace for us so that we could gather quickly. I'll take you there."

True to Lissa's claims, a sizable building within the grounds of the Palace was right outside the main structure. It was made of grey stone, with several floors and a dark roof.

"Everyone gets their own room, since we're so small compared to the military. Now, we can be kinda quirky, but we're all fun folks to be around. I think you'll get along with everyone." Lissa smiled.

"I'd like to think so." Robin nodded.

* * *

Entering the Shepherds' barracks, a long hallway stretched to two sides, with a main room dividing them. It was largely decorated like the Main Palace, but there were several objects left across the place. Tomes were stacked on tables and in shelves, a battle axe was left on another table, and an empty plate was on one of the counters. Certainly, people were at home here.

"Hey, I've brought a new recruit!" Lissa called out without a care in the world.

"Now that was rude to leave Teach behind." Someone walked out of their room.

A tall and muscular man walked out. He had dark skin with blond hair smoothed back, giving him it the look of a mop. He seemed comfortable, since he lacked a shirt and only wore pants and boots.

"Well, we didn't have time since we got a report about bandits constantly raiding one of the bordering towns." Lissa chuckled.

"Has Lord Chrom returned as well?" A young lady with pearl armor walked up.

She had dark-grey hair and grey eyes, with a feather hair-clip.

"Yes, don't worry, Sumia. He's perfectly fine."

"Sumia here was fretting horrifically since you three left. I'd worried that she'd gain bruises and grey hair from all of the worrying and falling." Another young woman walked up.

She had long blonde hair shaped into drills, with pink bows in her hair. Her attire was also of the same color, being a pink long-sleeved shirt with matching pants and brown boots. Robin had to admit, he found her quite pretty.

"Hey, Maribelle." Lissa smiled.

"You could've made me aware that you were leaving, Lissa. I'd thought you'd been taken by brigands." Maribelle huffed.

"Well, Chrom was in a hurry, so I just followed his tail. Anyways, enough about the sudden leave, we've got a new member in the Shepherds. This is Robin." Lissa stepped aside.

"Hello, everyone. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." Robin gave a polite greeting.

"I see..." Maribelle eyed him quietly.

"Ah, excuse my attire. I have little else." Robin scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Ah, a low-class citizen." Maribelle muttered to herself before walking away.

Robin sighed, wondering if Maribelle was of an arrogant class of nobles.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Robin. Maribelle is actually quite nice. It's just that she takes time to get friendly. She's not too fond of strangers at first glance." Sumia gave him an apologetic smile.

"I'll admit, she can come off as rough, but once she's decided that you're a friend, then she'll defend you like nobody's business. She does care about the unlucky people here in Ylisstol. She just might be recording your name as someone to help later." Lissa added.

"I understand."

Suddenly, a loud belch reached Robin's ear.

"Vaike…" Lissa facepalmed.

"Sorry, had a ton of cheese earlier. Might be cutting it too." Vaike chuckled.

Robin couldn't help but snicker.

"Hey, looks like you've got a sense of humor." Vaike smiled.

"Of course, I do." Robin chuckled.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance as well, Sir Robin." A voice spoke up.

Everyone began looking around.

"W-What was that?" Robin scanned the doors and stairs.

"My name is Kellam."

"Uh…this place isn't built over a cemetery or something, right?" Robin turned to Lissa.

"Give it a minute." Lissa pursed her lips.

Turning around, Robin then noticed a tall man in armor.

"When'd you get here?" Vaike asked.

"I was here the whole time." Kellam sighed.

"Well, this is Kellam, one of our other Shepherds. No, he's not a ghost, unlike what others say. He just happens to be really good at stealth." Lissa sheepishly pointed out.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Robin." Said man shook Kellam's hand.

"Likewise." Kellam smiled.

"Hello there, Sir Robin, my name is Miriel." A woman with glasses and short red hair walked up to the enlarging group. She had a witch's hat, a cloak around her shoulders, and long baggy pants.

"It's an honor, Lady Miriel. My name is Robin."

"Miriel's our resident senior mage. If you need to know about magic, then she's the best to talk to. And this would be Ricken." Lissa informed him.

Robin wondered who she was talking about until suddenly, he heard footsteps coming down from a flight of stairs. A young boy that looked pre-teen came down the steps. He was also in a mage's attire, with red hair and a serious expression.

"Sorry, I'm late. I heard we've got a new recruit."

"Ricken, meet Robin, our newest member."

"Greetings, Robin, I'm Ricken. I may look young, but I promise that my skills are satisfactory." Ricken shook the older man's hand.

"It's an honor, Ricken."

"Where're the others?" Lissa asked.

"Probably doing the usual. Stahl's probably stuffing his face. I think Sully ventured off to find you three. She sent a message, saying she's on her way back with someone." Ricken shrugged.

"Well, with that done, let's get you a room, Robin. We'll probably meet them in a bit."

* * *

Choosing a random one, Robin's room was all the way to the end of the hall on the second floor, which was conveniently vacant. Opening the door, Robin saw that there was one window, a closet, a comfortable bed, and a desk inside with a single shelf in the wall.

"It may not seem like much, but it's comfortable."

True, the room did have quite an amount of space to it. Robin had expected his quarters to be much smaller than this, even if this one was modest.

"Oh, I think I'll like it here." Robin smiled gratefully.

"Good. The closet has a number of stuff inside, already. There're extra blankets and pillows, and generic clothes inside. Also, food is served at nearly all times in the Dining Hall, so if you're ever hungry, just go ahead and grab what you want. Other than that, Breakfast is at 8am, Lunch is at 1pm and Dinner is at 6pm. Now, let's give you a tour. We just might meet the other Shepherds along the way." Lissa walked back out of the room.

Robin was fascinated with the Library, given the ludicrous amount of books within its walls. There were even floors that held nothing but books and tables for study. The Courtyard was lush with flowerbeds and fountains, spanning an unnecessary amount of distance in Robin's opinion. The Training Grounds were also littered with troops practicing their forms and new weapons. Perhaps the most unusual thing to him, was the Lab, which had a ton of potions and concoctions brewing under small torches.

"Ah, Lissa!" A deep but feminine voice called over.

Turning around, Robin and Lissa turned to see two others approaching them.

"Hey, Sully!" Lissa cheerfully greeted her.

Sully had short red hair, sticking in different directions, with red eyes, a muscular figure and knightly scarlet armor. Robin was a bit wary of her, given her aggressive stare and standoffish body language.

The man beside her reminded him of a scarecrow, since he was so thin. He had clothes that had hints of being of noble commission but at the same time, they were incredibly common-like. He had turquoise hair which framed his face.

"Are you and the others alright? I heard you were in the forests when it started breaking apart."

"Yeah, we're fine. And who might this be?" Lissa turned to the new man beside Sully.

"This is Virion." Sully quipped.

"Greetings, fair lady. I am humbled and honored to the utmost degree to be in your shining presence." Virion bowed.

"I've been meaning to talk to Chrom, since he wants to join. He talks like this, but his skills are pretty legit." Sully huffed.

"Well, Chrom's in a Council meeting right now, so it's gonna have to wait. Oh, right, this is Robin, our newest member." Lissa gestured to him.

Sully eyed him, scanning him as if he were a brick.

"I see. Name's Sully. Pleased to meet'cha." Sully extended a hand.

"The name's Robin and likewise." Robin gave her a firm shake.

"Well, we'd better get going." Sully turned Virion around before he could make another poetic speech.

"We should too." Lissa nodded.

As the pair walked, Robin turned to Lissa.

"So, tell me, why's the military so small?" He asked.

After so much time had been spent walking around, he found it odd that such a country like Ylisse had such a small military force.

"Well, it's mostly Emm's doing. Y'see, our father, the last Exalt…wasn't exactly a man of peace. Because of that, Emmeryn's trying to do things differently. She downsized the army to the minimum and maintained only what was necessary to protect the country, in contrast to our father, who maintained the numbers and weapons for venturing out of our borders." Lissa concisely explained.

There was probably much a bloodier background to this. The sour look on Lissa's face gave away just how dark the short story really was. He recalled how Chrom told him that even when being stoned, Emmeryn offered no retribution. She merely accepted it. From what it sounded, the previous Exalt was a tyrant.

"People have tried to attack Emm a lot in the past, but not once did she fight back. She's always forgiven others, no matter what, even if she can be stern sometimes." Lissa sadly noted.

"And that's why Plegia's taking this chance." Robin noted.

"Huh?" Lissa looked at him.

"I mean, it makes sense. If Emmeryn's so well-known, then naturally, others would know of her tendencies. She'd be seen as the absolute pacifist. If people have tried to kill her several times, then others would see that as an exploitable weakness. She'd allow too many chances. Also, if the military is this small, then a large-scale invasion of an average kingdom or an alliance were to occur, then Ylisse would be hard-pressed to defend against it. The Royal Palace stands on a cliff, leaving little in ways to escape if the worst comes. I don't like it." Robin spoke, almost as if rambling to himself.

He then realized what he sounded like.

"Sorry, just thinking to myself."

' _I don't like it, he says. I guess he already cares._ ' Lissa mused.

"Y'know, you like to think about that stuff. Earlier, at that village, you thought up of a plan on the spot as soon as you arrived." A voice spoke up behind the duo.

"Ah!"

"Wha!"

Lissa and Robin jumped at the sudden volume and close proximity of Chrom's voice.

"I don't blame you for thinking that, because I do agree, but all that we've done so far, was done for a peaceful change. The Shepherds may seem quirky and eccentric, but trust me, we'd lay down our lives for Ylisse and each other." Chrom gave Robin a reassuring smile.

"Now, I do believe that I have some information to tell you."

"What would that be?" Robin asked.

"I'll tell you and the other Shepherds later at Dinner."

"Well, I've just shown Robin around and introduced him to the others, aside from Stahl, so we're on our way to the Dining Hall."

"Alright then, I'll join you. I'd like to check up on the Palace too." Chrom nodded.

"So, what do you think of this place so far?" The Prince asked as the trio started walking.

"I think it's nice. It's not too big, not too small, and feels homely." Robin answered.

"Good. That's the kind of atmosphere that the Shepherds always had. We may have the label of being a small armed group or militia, but at the end of the day, we're just band of wacky friends." Chrom sounded satisfied.

"So, how'd the meeting go?" Lissa asked.

"I'll tell you all about it at dinner." Chrom alluded.

* * *

True to what he said, after a few more hours, the Prince of Ylisse had an announcement. All of the Shepherds had gathered in the Dining Hall for the Shepherd's barracks, granting Chrom ease for his plans.

Standing up and tapping his goblet, Chrom garnered attention at one single time.

"Now that everyone's here, it's time to make an announcement. I'm sure you've all felt those earthquakes last night, correct?" He looked around.

In response, he received unanimous nods.

"Well, last night, Frederick, Lissa, Robin, and I, were in the forest outside the Capital. There, we were engaged by mysterious creatures that we've chosen to name the Risen. We don't know how they came to be or how they came here, but it's been made clear that they're not friendly. All day, we've received reports of them attacking villages on the outskirts of the Ylissean border, namely close to Plegia. Thus, we've made a decision amongst the Council. Tomorrow morning, we will march to Regna Ferox to request aid from the Khans to deal with them."

That created some murmurs but Chrom understood that it was mainly out of curiosity.

"What's Regna Ferox?" Robin pondered.

"A warrior nation that's to the North of Ylisse. We've been on neutral grounds with them throughout our history, so they'll look at us more logically than they would others." Frederick answered.

"Warrior-nation, huh?"

"Yep. They let the blade do the talking. If you're good enough, they hear you, if not, then you're gonna be as quiet as a whisper. That's how it rolls in Regna Ferox." Vaike further explained.

"Just don't call them barbarians, unlike what many others do. Those who don't respect their ways label them as such, thus the bad attitude they have for that name." Frederick interjected.

While Robin was getting an explanation, Chrom reached the next part of his announcement.

"Now, this mission will be voluntary, so if you wish, then you can join."

"I'll go!" Lissa energetically raised her hand.

Chrom sighed a little. He could already see it. He could hear the complaints and whines that Lissa would make if she joined with them. If nothing else, she'd badger him for a horse to carry her the entire trip. At worst, she'd outright prank him if she didn't get something for her supposed compensation.

"I'll join in too. I've been itching for a good adventure." Vaike shot up.

"I'll go too." Miriel spoke up.

"If my dear Lissa insists upon going, then I shall join as well." Maribelle huffed.

"As always, I shall take part." Frederick nodded, as if it was a given.

Robin thought about this. He wasn't too sure about jumping into this, but at the same time, his mind was jarred when he was in that town yesterday. He'd remembered that grabbing a random sword and a tome had caused some muscle memory and subconscious knowledge to rise up in his mind. Maybe if he continued doing it, then he'd remember something about his past.

"I'll also go." Robin raised a hand.

Nearly every single person amongst the Shepherds volunteered, aside from Sully, Miriel, and Virion, who'd been newly inducted into the group as well.

"Wait, what about me?" Ricken protested.

Chrom turned to him, as if still thinking.

"Not just yet, Ricken. You're still too young to be going anywhere. I don't know whether or not the Risen will appear again like the other knight. I've fought them firsthand. They're not like any sort of brigands or bandits like in days past. They're like machines, with pain not being something they clearly feel. At this point, you haven't garnered enough experience to travel outside of Ylisse just yet." He sternly, yet gently responded.

"But I've been a Shepherd for a while already. Didn't Lissa just get to go on her first outing?"

"That's because Lissa has generated years of experience as a cleric, she's seen battle before." Chrom continued to stamp down Ricken's attempts to join.

"When'll I get the chance to go, Chrom?" Ricken calmly asked, but his frustration was clear in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ricken, but it's not time yet. You're still too eager."

The young lad received sympathetic looks from everyone, but in the end, Chrom was right. He was too desperate to prove himself and that could harm him.

"With all volunteers decided, you should prepare your belongings tonight and be ready to leave shortly after dawn tomorrow." Chrom finalized the news with that sentence.

With all massive talk over, everyone could now enjoy dinner. It was then that it was explained what sort of traditions the Shepherds had.

"How's the food?" Chrom asked.

Robin had just taken a bite out of his pork and vegetable stew. Accompanying it, were slices of bread with cheese over it, and an assortment of vegetables.

"It's pretty good. I like it."

"Thank you." Sumia bashfully spoke up.

"Here in the Shepherds ranks, we take turns cooking for everyone, so things change up every so often." Chrom explained.

' _I hope I don't poison anybody._ ' Robin gasped.

He hadn't tried cooking before, so he was sure he'd be dreadful in the kitchen. He could already see it now. Everyone would be bedridden from stomach pains and nausea from whatever foul concoction he'd made.

"Also, once a month, we have picnics so that we can maintain our friendships. Of course, we'll have to cancel it this month because of all the trouble, but aside from fun and games, we also do much training." Chrom glared at Frederick.

"Ah, the Fanatical Fitness Hour." Frederick grinned.

"I swear, it's the only other thing he likes besides starting fires." Lissa sighed.

Frederick immediately lost his grin.

"I apologize, Milady, but it's for the good of all. The better shape you are in, the better your chances of survival."

"We know you mean well, but any more than the usual and I'll have a petition on my desk." Chom laughed.

"I'll…find a less strenuous routine." Frederick sighed.

"I'm curious about it."

Frederick's eyes lit up once more.

"Would you like to try it?"

Lissa and Chrom were shaking their heads from across the table, silently warning him with their eyes and blinks.

' _No, don't do it. No, no, no_.' Chrom prayed.

' _Oh no, he's going to get killed_.' Lissa cringed.

"Sure." Robin nodded.

' _I can't believe he agreed to it!_ ' Vaike, Maribelle, Ricken, Chrom, Lissa, Kellam, and Sumia whimpered at the same time.

Robin had just signed his own death warrant.

"Excellent. As soon as the chance arrives, I will notify you, Sir Robin."

' _The poor boy doesn't understand what he's done to himself_.' Once more, the Shepherds spoke in unison within their minds.

"By the way, Sumia, I heard you were worrying yourself crazy earlier today." Lissa turned to the shy Pegasus knight.

"Huh?!" She yelped.

"I mean, Maribelle did tell me that you were worrying yourself sick because of what might've happened to Chrom." Lissa deviously noted.

"Well, of course, Chrom is our Prince and leader. The same goes for the rest of you, you're my precious friends, after all." Sumia retorted.

"I understand how you feel and thank you for worrying about us, Sumia. Just like you said, we're all very dear friends and I would've probably done the same thing." Chrom nodded, proud.

' _He's friendzoning her and doesn't even realize it_.' Robin nearly sputtered.

He looked at Sumia's twitching brow and failing smile. From what it seemed, Chrom was as blunt as a slab of metal. He worried for the future of Ylisse now.

* * *

Later that night, Robin had found himself to have eaten to the point of near-bursting. He'd hoped he wasn't a glutton before he lost his memories. Given his appearance, it might've not been so. Still, his appetite said otherwise.

He walked over to his desk and took out a book. While out in town, Robin had ensured to get something for himself since Chrom decided to give him early pay. As a Shepherd, he'd regularly get a salary, so he was glad he wouldn't have to beg on the streets.

Opening the book, Robin took his quill and began writing, recording everything from when he awoke on the side of the road all the way till this very moment. Throwing in as many details as he could, Robin made sure not to leave a single thing out. He wanted to ensure that if he ever forgot anything again, he could open this book and remember.

He decided that since he was an amnesiac, he'd need to keep track of his own thoughts and experiences. It was kind of cheesy, but what could he do when he had no idea when he was a blank slate? This was a good chance to develop some new ones or to try and remember old ones. After all, he had a long march tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, he'd be going on a mission that was detrimental to the lives of Ylisse.

* * *

 _ **And that is the end of this chapter. It was pretty light-hearted, kind of didn't want to put in more than necessary and I didn't want to scare anyone with overwhelming length, lol. Anyways, please let me know of what you think about the start of the new story and if you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them ASAP. However, if it's about spoilers, then I'd refrain from asking about them. If there's one thing I've learned within my few short years on , then it's that I had a big mouth when I first started. Seriously ruined plots with only a few words and requests.**_


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